There has been a lot of press recently over the issue of the Minister of Development’s writing a “not” into an approval form for the funding of an aid organisation. That the government’s decision to decline to fund the Kairos aid program is regretable, is not at issue, it is that the minister lied.

Bev Oda decided after approving funding to the organisation to decline. The already filled out form, with her signature and that of some other representatives from her ministry was taken back and the word “not” was inserted into the document. The fact that the minister has the right to change her mind, is not what is so wrong about this act. She lied to parliament and the Canadian public for two months, stating that she had no idea who had altered the document after she had signed it. It wasn’t me was her refrain. Well it was her, she admitted to it in Parliament this week.

Prime Minister Harper has gone on the defensive stating that the Minister had the right to decided against funding and that she was saving the taxpayers money, etc.

She lied. Rather than defend her position on the funding to the organisation, she decided to play dumb and deny everything. If she was so in her rights to decline the funding she should not have felt the need to lie.

Mr Harper, doesn’t it bother you that she cannot defend her decisions, and would rather deny doing things, and lie to her electorate and Parliament? This is not grade school, this is the federal government. If she cannot act with integrity, perhaps she is not meant to be a Minister of the Crown.